Ms. Claudia’s favorite early chapter book series

Introduction I have specific preferences when it comes to early chapter books, and my criteria for identifying good ones is based on the accessibility of language for children who are transitioning from decodable books and bridging books to chapter books, as well as a story structure that is straightforward, with a logical progression of events.

Summer Writing Workshop 2023

Express Yourself: Opinion Writing Workshop for Ages 6-8 Course Overview: This workshop is designed to introduce young writers to the world of opinion writing. Through interactive activities, engaging discussions, and writing exercises, students will learn the basics of expressing their opinions in writing. The course will cover topics such as identifying opinions, using strong language,

From Goals to Words: Using Soccer to Inspire Your Child’s Writing- A non-fiction research unit with my 7 year old

What is Non-fiction writing? Non-fiction writing is a type of writing that aims to inform, explain or educate others about people, events, or issues. Non-fiction writing is: It is important to do a balance of fiction and non-fiction writing. In international schools, students do a combination of fiction and non-fiction study throughout the year. In

Bento- お弁当 Gallery

Scroll all the way down to see the kitchen gadgets that I need to prepare lunches: 2022-2023 Bentos Tools I use: App I use:

Writing, documenting and creating memories through travel scrapbooking in Japan

Introduction During our winter trip to Japan this time as a mother of two school-aged children, I paid special attention to, and was intrigued by the print-rich environment surrounding us every day. Colorful billboards with flashing slogans, JR maps dotted with tiny Japanese characters, and the endless supplies of flyers and brochures that line every

Cantonese/Canadian Mom’s favourite places to take kids in Singapore

Below are places that would appeal to families from overseas if you are visiting Singapore the first time! My recommendations are not listed in order of preference. Sentosa- Adventure Cove (here) Sentosa-  Skyline Luge and Skyride (here) Sentosa- Dolphin Island (here) I personally haven’t taken my kids there, but many of my friends have visited.

What “Small-Moment Writing” looks like in First Grade (at home)

Lucy Calkins’ units are not perfect, but her “whole language” approach does nurture a love of writing. She places a strong emphasis on writer’s craft, and it is not at all too early for 6-7 year olds to start thinking about how authors make a purposeful choice of vocabulary, sentence formation, voice OR tone in

Maomi Stars- 6 features that make the app a game-changer for Cantonese learning

Introduction Language options (Simplified/Traditional, Cantonese/Mandarin!) Theme-based characters Speaking component Mini-games/ interactive elements to consolidate learning Real children’s voices Curriculum that will continue to expand Conclusion Introduction I often get asked why, being Cantonese myself, I do not teach my children to read and write Cantonese in Traditional Chinese? There are just many more resources in

Learning through the arts- Drawing the English Alphabet

I didn’t use worksheets or workbooks for my kids when they learned to write the alphabet. I taught them initially by using colored sand and then by using whiteboards and sketchbooks. It is important to not force your child to write. Instead, encourage scribbling and doodling by exposing your child to materials and drawing tools

How to practice Past Tense using “Hey Jack” series (Grade 1-3)

If you haven’t already noticed, many young children’s books are written in the simple present tense. For teachers, this is wonderful to see since exposing children to different tenses in books is one way to get them familiar with its usage. Simple present tense is used to: describe facts or habits describe scheduled events This